Fluid-pressure-operated vise using hydraulic lock and screw-actuated ram for clamping and having a fluid by-pass for quick separation of jaws



MW 39 W5@ K. P. SCHENKE ggm FLUIDPRESSURE0PERAIED vIsE: USING HYDRAULICLOCK AND scREw-AcTUATED RAN FDR CLANPING AND NAVI G A FLUID BY-PAss FDRQUICK SEPARATION oF J Filed July 15, 194e Patented May 30, 195i) UNITEDSTATES FLUID-RESSURE-GPERALTED VISE USING HYDRAULIC LCK ANB SCREW-ACTU-AIEI) RAM FOR CLAMPING AND HAVING A FLUID BIZ-PASS FOR QUICK SEPARATIONF JAWS Kurtiss P. Schenke, New York, N. Y.

Application July 13, 1946, Serial No. 683,345

(Cl. 8l--17.2)

9 Claims.

The presentinvention relates to improvements in vises and work `holdingdevices and more particularly to an improved fluid or hydraulic vise ofa quick-acting type.

It is a major object of this invention to provide an improved vise orother work holder which utilizes hydraulic or other uid power togreatly` increase the magnitude of the manual forces which are applied.A further object resides in the provision of a manual actuating screw ofrelatively short movement cooperatively associated with a hydraulic ramand a hydraulic lock by means of which the vise can selectively betightened or released and when released is free to be pulled openwithout the necessity of further rotation of the screw.

A further object lies in such an arrangement in a hydraulic vise whereina relatively few turns of the manual screw converts the vise from` itsfreely movable condition through which it can easily be adjusted forvaried sizes of work to the condition in which it grips the work with ahigh hydraulic or mechanical advantage. A still further object lies inan arrangement in which the transition from mechanical movement of thescrew to hydraulic movement for gripping the work is entirely automaticand relieves the operator of the necessity of performing an additionalstep as required in most prior devices. It is a further object toprovide a screw actuated hydraulic vise in which the screw is utilizedto selectively condition the vise and to actuate the hydraulic means butwherein the screw is automatically relieved of the high stressesreacting through the vise structure when the work is gripped by thehydraulic pressure.

It is accordingly a `corollary object to provide such a vise of highgripping power in which the screw mechanism is subjected to relativelylight forces and consequently very little wear. A further object residesAin providing a vise capable-of such high pressures and capacity that itis usable as a hydraulic press for stamping. punching and otheroperations. Other objects of the invention include the provision of animproved vise which is time-saving and quick-acting in use and whichincorporates a novel arrangement of its simple and trouble-free parts.Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in`the art after reading the present description and the accompanyingdrawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of a vise embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is asectional View to a larger scale of the screw and hydraulicmechanism of the vise of Fig. l in its work-gripping condition; and

Fig. 3 is a similar View of the same mechanism in its .disengagedcondition.

.Referring now to Fig. 1 the numeral li` designates the stationaryportion of a vise having a iiged stock or jaw t. The movable portion isdesignated by the numeral 'l and has a corresponding movable stock orjaw 8. A tongue or bar member ll is rigidly attached-tol movable portion1 and extends through a suitable aperture within the fixed portion 5 ina manner well known in the art. A iianged base portion lll is formed atthe bottom of the Xed portion and by which it may be attached to a benchi l as by the bolts l2. It will be understood that the novel features ofmy invention which are about to be described are equally applicable tovises of all types whether swivelling or universal, of the drill presstype, or for work clamps, holders, or jigs and fixtures.

A tubular member I3 is preferably threadedly attached to the movableportion l as at 3d at its outer end and is similarly threaded at itsinner end at 3,5 to a large piston it reciprocable within a chamber orcylinder l 5 formed within the xed portion t", dividing the cylinderinto the portions l5@ and 15b. The piston is provided with a suitableseal or packing at Hip at its periphery to prevent leakage of iluid fromone end of the cylinder to the other and a suitable seal is alsoprovided at 5p to prevent iluid leakage th:ough the end of the cylinderaround the tube i3. The far end of the cylinder is closed by a cylinderhead H5 suitably attached by a plurality oi studs or screws Il. The endplate or cylinder head I6 is suitably apertured and threaded to :receivea filler pipe and cap assembly at i3 to provide both a reserve chamberfor fluid and a column of air above the fluid for purposes to behereinafter explained. A screw rod E9 threadedly engages the aperture'la in the movable portion l and is coaxially disposed with respect tothe bore in the tubular member I3. Fixed to the end of the screw rodiQis a ball hub 29 from which a handle 2| is supported for manuallyrotating the screw. The work is indicated by the construction lines 22and the vise is adjustable to receive a wider work piece such as 22a `atwhich time the hub of the handle will be approximately at the position26a.

'Referring now to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the screw rod iScontinues co-axially within the tube I3 as a straight piston rod 23 onwhich a small piston or ram 2li is xedly mounted by the threaded locknut 25 tightened against the shoulder 26. The rampiston 2li isreciprocable within the tube I3 for a limited distance and hydrauliciiuid is prevented from passing the periphery of the ram by the seal24p. The piston rod has an extended reduced diameter portion 2l on whichis slidably mounted `a piston valve 28 having a peripheral channel and aplurality of communicating radial passages 3S. An enlarged ported end ordetent 29 is attached to the inner end of the piston rod 2l and iscapable of extending through the central opening in the piston i4 andthrough the end of the tube I3. The piston valve 28 is spring-pressed bythe compression spring 3B restrained by the detent 3l which is fixed tothe rod 21. The travel of the piston valve 28 is limited axially by theannular ring detents 32 and 33 Xed to the inner wall of the tube I3which wall is provided with apertures or ports 36 and 37. The piston I4divides the cylinder I into a reservoir portion I 5a, and a workingportion |5b and all hydraulic forces acting upon the piston I4 aretransmitted directly to the movable vise portion l to which it isdirectly attached by the small bore cylinder tube I3.

In preparing the vise for use it will be filled with a suitable oil orother hydraulic fluid such that both chambers I5a and lib are filledwith fluid up to the level indicated on the filler pipe I8 in Fig. l.The connection 5a may be utilized to bleed @if trapped air in thefilling operation and both cylinders should be filled with fluid andfree from air. The connection 5a may also be used for an indicatingpressure gage and will show the clamping pressures being developedbetween the vise jaws 5 and Ii3. The screw threads I9 are righthandedand the handle 2l is rotated clockwise looking toward the Working end ofthe vise with the jaws in light contact against the work 22.

In the position of the elements shown in Fig. 2 it will be seen that thescrew I9 has been rotated clockwise to a point where the piston end 29has been extended beyond the piston Valve 28 Which, under the influenceof the spring 3i! has been urged against the detent 33. In this positionoi the piston valve 28 and the piston end 29 the ports 38 in the pistonvalve are cut ofi from the passages in 29 and the port 36. There isaccordingly no fluid communication from one side of the piston I4 to theother, or between chambers Iba and I5b and a hydraulic lock may be saidto have been created. Continued clockwise rotation of the screw I9 willassist the spring 39 in holding the piston valve closed and will buildup fluid pressure within the tube I3 ahead of the ram piston 24 whichpressure passes through the always open port 3'! into the workingchamber I 5b against the face of the piston Iii. A power increase orboost is accordingly obtained which is approximately in proportion tothe exposed areas of the pistons I4 and 24. The greatly increased force,and reduced axial motion, applied to the piston I4 is transmitted in theform of a tensile force through the cylinder tube I3 which in turn pullsthe movable jaw 8 against the work 22. The clamping force applied to thework will accordingly be of great magnitude, many times greater than themanual force applied in turning the handle 2i, and the screw I9 willaccordingly be relieved from transmitting the high clamping force, whichis transmitted by the tube I3. Due to the relative incompressibility ofthe fluid in the cylinder I5 the piston M- will be moved a relativelyshort distance and as a result of this short movement the residual fluidin the chamber portion Ia will be compressed against the air above thefluid level in the lling pipe I8, which air serves as a pneumaticcushion and permits the iilling pipe to serve as an expansion chamber.

In order to release the clamping pressure and free the movable portion 1to accommodate a larger work piece 22a., the screw I9 is backed 01Tseveral turns to the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position it willbe noted that the ram 24 has receded, permitting the pressure within thecylinder tube rI3 and the chamber I5b to drop and permit the rod end 29,assisted by the pressure within the chamber I5a to return the pistonvalve 28 to its open position against the detent 32. In this position itwill be seen that the chambers I5a and |51) are in open communicationthrough the ports 3E, 38 and 29 and the hydraulic lock may be said to bebroken or opened. It is accordingly not necessary to rotate the screwfurther inasmuch as a light outward pull on the handle 2| will permitthe piston I4 and the attached movable portion 'I to be moved to thedesired position, displacing iiuid from chamber I'b to chamber I5a. Thelarger work piece can be clamped in the extended position by againrotating the screw I9 in a clockwise direction as previously described.Obviously almost any degree of hydraulic force magnification can beobtained by designing the desired ratio of exposed areas of pistons I4and 24.

Other forms and modications of the present invention both in respect ofthe general arrangement and the details of the respective elements willoccur to those skilled in the art after reading the present descriptionand drawings, but all such forms and modifications are intended to comewithin the scope of this invention as more particularly set forth in theappended claims.

I claim:

l. In a quick-acting vise, a movable stock, a xed supporting stock, arotatable screw shaft threadediy engaging one of said stocks, a cylinderformed within the other said stool; and filled with an incompressiblefluid, a piston reciprocable within said cylinder, a tubular memberconnecting one of said stocks and the piston within the other saidstock, a ram piston carrie-d by said screw shaft and reciprocable withinsaid tubular member, and a valve selectively operable by rotan tion ofsaid screw shaft for by-passing the fluid in said cylinder from one sideto the other side of said piston to permit quick-acting manual movementwithout the necessity of rotating said screw and for locking the uid inthe tubular member and in that portion of the cylinder which surroundsthe tubular member, .vhereby actuu ation of said ram piston can bringsaid stocks together under fluid pressure.

2. In a quick-acting vise, a movable stock, a iixed supporting stock, arotatable screw shaft threadedly engaging said movable stock, a closedcylinder carried by said fixed stock and filled with an incompressiblefluid, a double-faced piston reciprocable within said cylinder, atubular member connecting said movable stock with said piston, a rampiston carried by said screw shaft and reciprocable within said tubularmember, and a valve selectively operable upon rotation of said screwshaft for by-passing the fluid in said cylin der from one side to theother side of said piston in one position of said screw shaft to permitquick-acting movement without further rotation of said screw and forlocking the fluid in the tubular member and in that portion oi thecylinder which surrounds the tubular member, whereby actuation of saidram piston can bring said stocks together under fluid pressure.

3. A uid-actuated quick-acting vise including a movable stock, a fixedstock, a rotatable screw shaft threadedly engaging said movable stock, acylinder carried by said xed stock and filled with an incompressiblefluid, a piston re ciprocable within said cylinder dividing saidcylinder into a fluid reservoir chamber and a fluid pressure chamber, atubular member connecting said movable stock with said piston, normallyaligned ports connecting said chambers formed within said cylinder forby-passing the iiuid in said cylinder from one side to the other side ofsaid piston for quick-acting movement of said movable stock withoutrotation of said screw, and valve and fluid-pressure-generating meanssequentially actuated by rotation of said screw for closing said by-passports and drawing said stocks together by increasing the fluid pressurewithin said fluid pressure chamber.

4. A fluid-actuated vise including an internally threaded movable stock,a fixed stock having a cylinder carried thereby, said cylinder beingfilled with an incompressible fluid, a rotatable screw shaft threadedlyengaging said movable stock, a piston having opposite faces beingreciprocable within said cylinder, a tubular member of smaller diameterthan said piston connecting said movable stock with said piston,normally aligned ports through the wall of said tubular member andthrough said piston providing uid communication with both faces thereof,valve means actuated by said screw shaft for closing said ports andmaking said piston fluidly effective, and flud-pressure-generating meansactuated by further rotation of said screw shaft in the same directionfor the fluid actuation of said piston in causing clamping engagement ofsaid vise stocks.

5. A fluid-actuated vise including an internally threaded movable stock,a xed stock having a cylinder carried thereby, said cylinder beingfilled with an incompressible fluid, a rotatable screw shaft threadedlyengaging said movable stock, a piston reciprocable within said cylinderand dividing said cylinder into two chambers, a tubular member ofsmaller diameter than said piston co-axially disposed about said screwshaft and connecting said movable stock with said piston, normallyaligned ports through the wall of said tubular member and through saidpiston providing fluid communication with the chambers formed on bothsides of said piston, a ported valve slidably carried by said screwshaft and actuated by said screw shaft for closing said ports and makingsaid piston uidly effective, and fluid-pressure-generating meansactuated by said screw shaft to increase effective fluidpressure uponsaid piston so as to cause clamping engagement of `said vise stocks.

6. A fluid-actuated vise including an internally threaded movable stock,a fixed stock having a cylinder carried thereby, said cylinder beingfilled with an incompressible uid, a rotatable screw shaft threadedlyengaging said movable stock, a piston reciprocable within said cylinder,a tubular member connecting said movable stock with said piston,normally open lay-pass means providing fluid communication between thechambers formed within said cylinder on each side of said piston, portedvalve means actuated by said screw shaft for closing said ley-pass andhydraulically locking said piston, fluid-pressuregenerating meansactuated by said screw shaft and effective within one of said fluidchambers of said cylinder to actuate said piston and to force saidmovable stock toward said fixed stock and lost-motion means providingfor continued actuation of said uid-pressure-generating means by saidscrew shaft while maintaining said valve means in its closed position.

7. A fluid-actuated quick-acting vise including a movable stock, a fixedstock, a rotatable screw shaft threadedly engaging one of said stocks, aclosed cylinder carried by the other of said stocks and filled with anincompressible fluid, a piston within said cylinder dividing saidcylinder into two chambers, a tubular member of lesser diameter thansaid piston connecting one of said stocks and said piston, a duidactuating ram positioned within said tubular member and connected tosaid screw shaft for reciprocation within said tubular member uponrotation of said screw shaft, a by-pass fluidly communicating with bothsaid chambers for quick-acting operation of said movable stockindependent of said screw shaft, said screw shaft being sequentiallyoperable to close said by-pass to lock the fluid in one of said chambersand to actuate said ram against said locked fluid thereby moving saidpiston and forcing said movable stock toward said fixed stock.

8. A fluid-actuated vise including a movable stock, a fixed stock, arotatable screw shaft threadedly engaging one of said stocks, a cylindercarried by the other said stock and filled with an incompressible fluid,a piston reciprocable within said cylinder dividing the same into aforcemultiplying chamber and a reservoir chamber, a tubular memberconnecting one of said stocks and said piston, portsthrough the wall ofsaid tubular member fluidly connecting said force-multiplying chamberwith the interior of said tubular member and with said reservoirchamber, a ported valve slidable on said screw shaft normally alignedwith a first of said wall ports for the fluid by-passing of said piston,a second of said wall ports providing at all times uiid communicationbetween said force-multiplying chamber and the interior of said tubularmember, a ram piston carried by said screw shaft operable to createpressure against said closed ported valve within said tubular member andwithin said force-multiplying chamber through said second wall port forthe iiuid pressure actuation of said movable vise stock.

9. A duid-actuated vise of the type set forth in claim 8 characterizedby the inclusion of resilient means to maintain said lported valve inits open position wherein said piston is Icy-passed, and lost-motionmeans cooperable with said resilient means to maintain said ported valvein its closed position during further advance of said screw shaft andsaid ram piston during its .duid-pressure actuation of said movable visestock.

KURTISS P. SCHENKE.

CES CITED The following references of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Date Re. 21,112 Nilson June 13, 1939769,181 Philipp Sept. 6, 1904 976,285 Osmer Nov. 22, 1910 1,659,157Prouty Feb. 14, 1928 2,107,970 Wells Feb. 8, 1938 2,134,780 Doyle Nov.1, 1938 2,146,403 Nilson Feb. 7, 1939 2,343,901 Groves Mar. 14, 1944FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 16,650 Great Britain Sept. 18, 1900

